THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), in a statement issued on January 27, has congratulated the farmers of our country and their united platform for the massive kisan parade on the Republic Day both at the national capital and in hundreds of districts across the country to defend our country’s self reliance, food and energy security and the rights enshrined in our constitution.The kisan parade on the Republic Day virtually became a peoples’ parade drawing crores of people in addition to farmers, agricultural workers, workers and people from all walks of lives throughout the country.
DEMANDING pattas for podu tillers (tribal peasants), double bedroom houses for eligible poor, the CPI(M) organised a big rally in the Bhadradri Kothagudem district centre, Kothagudem. The rally marched from the Lakshmidevipalli Mandal market yard to the Collectorate Dharna Chowk. In front of the demonstration, cultural programmes like district tribal dances, performances by Praja Natya Mandali artists, dances by transgenders etc attracted the people.
INDIA had never seen such a magnificent sight in its history. On Republic Day, January 26, 2021, lakhs of farmers rode over one lakh tractors on the outskirts of the national capital Delhi. Each tractor proudly held aloft the national flag and the flag of the kisan organisation to which it belonged.
SOON after the farmers’ dharna at the five sites of Tikri, Singhu, Shahjahanpur, Palwal and Ghazipur got underway at the end of November 2019, women started joining the dharna, first in small groups and then in a steady stream.
ON January 16, a convention by political parties in Delhi was held at Constitution Club (Annexe) in support of the 52-day farmer’s struggle at various venues along the Delhi border. The convention was presided by K M Tiwari from CPI(M), Dinesh Varshney (CPI), Ravi Rai (CPI-ML), Santosh Kumar (CGPI), Shatrujeet (RSP) and Gaurav (AIFB). Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat from CPI(M), K Narayana (CPI), Kavita Krishnan (CPI-ML), R S Dagar (RSP), Anita Rai Pawar (AIFB), and Prakash Rao (CGPI) spoke at the occasion.
THE All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) in a press note issued on January 19, strongly condemned the murderous assault on its national joint secretary and Tripura state secretary, Jharna Das Baidya, MP Rajya Sabha on January 17 by a gang of 30 BJP hoodlums in Agartala town, capital of Tripura. The AIDWA alleged that these hoodlums followed her on motorbikes when she was returning home, threatening and abusing her. They were armed with lathis, hockey sticks, iron rods, etc. These goons barged into her house and ransacked it. They stole cash and other valuables from the house.
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement on January 18, 2021BJP’S ANTI-SOCIAL elements have launched a spree of fresh violence attacking CPI(M) leaders, activists and offices in Tripura.
IN its systematic attempt to vilify the farmers’ movement against the three infamous agriculture bills that open peasant agriculture to corporate take-over, the government keeps using the argument that the opposition to these bills is confined to farmers only from a couple of states, that farmers from other states are happy with the bills.
THE government of India passed Farm Ordinances on June 5, 2020, regarding agricultural reforms and then passed the Acts in September in the Parliament on September 22, 2020. Questions are also being raised about the legality of these laws as agricultural production comes under the preview the state governments according to State List of the Indian Constitution. The movement against these laws had started in Punjab since June 2020.As a result of the Green Revolution, there have been drastic changes in the cropping pattern of Punjab.
THE unprecedented nationwide farmers struggle led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha(SKM) is set to greatly intensify as it completes two months on Republic Day, January 26, 2021. The ‘kisan parade’ in the form of a huge tractor march on the Outer Ring Road to Delhi will undoubtedly be the most massive form of farmers’ resistance since independence. It will have tens of thousands of tractors and over a million farmers.